A VERY UN-SHAKESPEARE ROMANCE: ‘A Fake Dad Grumpy Sunshine Romantic Comedy’

The cat had it in for him.

Robbie scooped up the T-shirt Miss Purrfect had managed to steal for her litter box and balled it up, wincing at the putrid smell emerging from whatever that hideous furball had done. To one of his favorite running shirts!

Wasn’t he nice to the girls? Didn’t he bend over backward to play whatever they wanted? Answer their every crazy little question? Didn’t he check his computer every morning at the crack of dawn, praying for an update from his partner? When he’d come down to the kitchen this morning, he’d found yet another empty space in his account where a message would be…and then the ruined shirt.

The “bad guy” currently plaguing his life was a furball. If it were up to Robbie, he’d cuff that cat and put it in jail. Twenty years to life would be good for it.

“I see your battle with Miss Purrfect continues,” Tim commented as he strolled into the kitchen in an old Pats T-shirt and boxers.

Robbie stormed into the adjoining laundry room and threw the shirt in the makeshift diaper pail before returning, setting his weight as he regarded his brother. “What is that cat’s beef with me anyway? It doesn’t mess with anything you or Billie own.”

Tim turned and started making coffee, the dark aroma a godsend. “Maybe you should talk more sweetly to it like I suggested. Billie changed tacks.”

Be nice to a furball?

“When hell freezes over,” he spat, grabbing two mugs.

“Language,” Tim called out, setting the coffee to brew.

“The girls aren’t up, and I’m going to explode if I don’t—”

“Take care of your raging attraction to our neighbor?” Tim supplied, leveling him with a knowing look. “You always do this to yourself. Fight against what you know is true and then get all grouchy because of it, affecting everyone around you. You were rude last night, and you know it.”

“I was rude so I wouldn’t do anything stupid.”

He’d purposely avoided being near or alone with Summer for the rest of the night, a task which had proven both difficult and frustrating. Wasn’t it just his luck that he’d met a really hot woman who also seemed to be a decent human being, and he couldn’t do anything about it?

“Why would it be stupid?” Tim pulled out the sugar bowl and grabbed two spoons. “Look, I know I agreed that we should stay focused on our reason for being here and not spend time flirting with women. But I mostly said that for Billie, of course. You compartmentalize things all the time. Why can’t you have an innocent romance with Summer on vacation? The girls will be all right. We’ve got them squared away.”

He straightened, fisting his hands. “Because this isn’t a real vacation. I can’t leave the girls and go on a date. Or sleep over anywhere but here. Especially since it will give Billie the green light he’s looking for. And trust me, bro, he sees green already.”

Tim’s mouth curled, a rare sight. “You don’t want to leave me alone with the girls. Dammit, you don’t think I’m tough enough to look out for them.”

Shit. He ran a hand through his hair. “I brought you both along for numbers as much as your caretaking side, because I didn’t think I could handle the girls alone or stand up to what might come after us.”

“I buy the caretaking part, sure.” Tim stepped closer, anger in his expression. “But the rest is crap. You brought me along because you didn’t want me in Boston in case the Kellys decided to pay me a call.”

Terrific. Now the nicest O’Connor was picking a fight with him. “Tim, I brought you because my emotional intelligence when it comes to love and nurturing is zilch. That’s your specialty, and you’re damn good at it. My contribution is protecting the kids. I’m not the guy who knows what to do when they go to pieces missing their mom.”

“Bullshit.” Tim poked him in the chest, and his use of a cuss word wasn’t lost on Robbie. “You helped me and Kathleen when Mom died. I don’t know what I would have done without you. Pop was silently falling to pieces and working all the time like a tough O’Connor is supposed to do. You—”

Robbie’s eyes were burning suddenly at the shine in his brother’s eyes.

“Oh, never mind. I know you don’t want to hear it.”

“No, say what you were going to say.”

Tim’s mouth worked before he said, “You’ve let yourself get hard, but that doesn’t mean you’ve lost those things. They’re still in there. Just like they were when I needed you. You did fine comforting Reagan last night after Cassidy’s innocent outburst about their mom.”

Had he? Finding that young girl with her hands pressed to her face, crying, had grabbed him by the throat. He hadn’t known what to do, so he’d just said her name softly. Thank God she’d launched herself at him. He’d held her until she’d finally let go and told him she was okay. “Look, I didn’t do anything. She bawled. I patted her back like a moron who had no clue what to say.”

Tim gave a long-suffering sigh before turning away to pour two coffees. “There’s nothing to say sometimes, especially when you can’t change anything. Like Mom dying.”

His insides roared with grief. “I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Fine! So let me use another example. When I’m with a patient who’s just had horrible health news or a bad family visit, I sit there with them. I show them I care by being there. That’s what matters in the end. Oh, why am I even talking? You won’t give yourself a break. Drink your coffee, and then go for a run. You need to blow some of this off before the girls wake up.”

He glanced outside. Summer was probably already running or soon would be. He didn’t want to chance meeting her on the beach. When she and Clarice had left last night, the final look she’d given him had said it all. The usual sparkle in her green eyes was as absent as her bright smile. He’d hurt her, and he knew it. And dammit, he felt like shit about that too. Even though they’d been in agreement about not doing anything about their mutual attraction.

“If you don’t go, you’re a coward,” Tim said, picking up his coffee. “And you know it. That’s not who you are. You should apologize. She’s a sweet woman, and she doesn’t deserve your shit.”

With that final smack to the face, his nice brother left the room. Robbie picked up his coffee and burned his mouth taking a sip. He let out a trail of swear words since no one was around, fighting the urge to kick the kitchen cabinets with his bare feet. He was boiling on the inside, and he knew it. Running was the only outlet for him at the moment.

He headed upstairs for some socks and shoes, not seeing Tim anywhere. The girls were sleeping when he checked on them again, but he spotted Miss Purrfect splayed out on his unmade bed the moment he entered his room. She rolled over, pawing at her collar, and gave an audible hiss.

“Hey!” He lurched at the cat, who screeched and took off for the hallway. “It’s not my fault we’re here, dammit. It’s Tara’s.”

He froze. That wasn’t fair either. Yanking out some socks from his duffel, he pressed his free hand to the headache starting at his nape.

Tara. Where was she? How was she? Jesus, being in the Outer Banks was like being in an alternate universe. The Kellys were out there, looking for Scotty and Tara—and potentially him and the girls—and their money. So far, nothing had changed. They were coming up on a week.

Something needed to break and break soon—or he would.

No, he needed to suck it up. Why was he letting a random attraction to a virtual stranger get to him? He yanked on his shoes and socks, tying his shoelaces tightly. He knew the answer. Because he was horny, that was why.

No—it was more than that. Summer was freaking gorgeous, from her long legs to her blond hair and green eyes, but that wasn’t the only reason he felt drawn to her. She was also graceful and kind, grounded. That smile of hers could make him forget what he was about to say. And the way she looked at him, like she knew him on the inside and liked him, understood him even, had been burrowing under his skin, causing all sorts of discomfort.

Tim was right. She didn’t deserve his bad attitude. He needed to apologize.

Leaving the house, he headed next door, not wanting to risk that she’d zoom past him on the beach, leaving him to chase after her—if he could catch up. God, how freaking embarrassing if she left him panting in her dust again. He wanted to apologize, not be humiliated.

Clarice was visible in the kitchen window as he stepped onto their patio. The way her black brows rose with disdain was enough to confirm he was on their shit list. Knocking lightly, he straightened his shoulders, ready to take his medicine.

She cracked the door with plenty of attitude. “Looking for your jerk uniform?”

“Actually, I realized I was still wearing it.” He blew out a breath. “I was coming to apologize.”

She touched her ear with a long red fingernail. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

He was supposed to apologize to her? Wasn’t Summer the one who deserved an apology from him?

Well, he had ruined things with her and Billie last night, he realized. His brother had given him a pissed-off shove after the two women had left shortly after picking at their food. Only the kids’ presence had prevented a further blowup.

“I’m sorry for my behavior last night. I was a jerk with a capital J. It won’t happen again.”

“Forgiven.” She motioned him toward the kitchen. “Come inside and wait for Summer. Since you owe her an apology too. You know… Some people actually embrace having an attraction to someone. You might try it.”

He could see why Billie liked her. She had a frank, straightforward attitude to go along with the curves his brother liked. “My life is complicated right now. I didn’t come here looking for anything.”

“Well, it’s like pigeon shit in the park. No one wants it, but it doesn’t mean you don’t embrace the good luck it brings.”

He’d lived in Boston long enough to have heard that one from Italian Americans. “We Irish Americans don’t believe getting crapped on is good luck.”

She walked over to the coffee pot and poured him a cup. “No, but you believe in leprechauns and pots of gold under rainbows, so you shouldn’t really judge, should you?”

He took the coffee and drank it slowly, his eyes widening at how strong it was. “Somehow I don’t think you really believe in tall tales.”

Leaning her elbows on the counter, she gave a short smile. “You’re right. I’m an accountant. I like numbers and data. They’re straight up and straightforward like me. Do you like the coffee?”

He imagined Summer had shared his profession with her, so he decided he could be straightforward too. “The guys in my precinct make coffee like this. Practically pops your eyeballs out of the socket.”

“It’s my recipe for getting through tax season. But I can’t seem to give it up. Summer can’t stand it. You’ve seen her girly water.”

“Reagan and Cassidy loved it.” He felt like crap again when he thought of how sad the girls had been to see the two women leave so early last night. “Maybe I should come back.”

“Not on your life.” Clarice playfully picked up a paring knife and held it out. “I know plenty of men like you. The impulse to apologize is rare. The actual apology is even rarer.”

“This is the second time I’ve apologized in less than twenty-four hours,” he pointed out, frowning.

“So I heard.” She put the knife down. “But here’s what I know about men. By the time you walk back to your house, you’ll think you did plenty, saying what you did to me, her friend. No, you’re going to stand here and drink coffee until she returns. Then I’ll leave you two star-crossed lovebirds alone and you can apologize to her sweet little face.”

His mouth tightened. “Star-crossed lovers? Have you been reading that Shakespeare garbage too?”

“Your brother, Tim, is adorable!” She gave him a sly grin. “It’s too bad I saw Billie first, because your baby brother is a real romantic. I’ll bet he knows how to treat a woman right.”

Had she and Summer analyzed him and his brothers? He didn’t want to know. “Tim has a girlfriend.”

“That’s no shock.” She gestured to him. “You clearly don’t. In fact, you act like you wiped your whole dating and romance program from your motherboard. Is the girls’ mother that bad?”

Terrific. They were wondering about his and his brothers’ personal crap. It was just like women to dig in deep. “You’ve seen the girls. They’re wonderful. And that’s all I’m saying on that subject.”

“Fine. If you’d like, we can stop trying to have an adult conversation, and you can simply grunt like an animal. Might save you a lot of trouble.”

He couldn’t help but puff out a laugh. “Right. And maybe I should stop walking upright too and just hunch over and drag my knuckles on the ground. Stop confusing people.”

Her cackle carried across the room. “Now that’s a fabulous idea. Give that ape a wide berth, it’ll say. He’s not fit for human company. Robbie, you should start practicing today.”

Her wicked humor had him cracking a reluctant smile. Yeah, he could see why Billie liked her. Okay, she was a little weird, but balls-out honest. Billie didn’t take to women who played games. “As long as my new act entertains Reagan and Cassidy, I’ll do it. We’re reaching that part of the vacation where the glow of the adventure is fading. They’re getting restless.”

“Then we should do something fun!” Clarice said enthusiastically, wiggling her hips. “I remember being bored on vacation as a kid. The only antidote is something exhilarating. How about an amusement park? I think I read in a brochure there’s one in Nags Head.”

He still wasn’t sure about going out in public. “Cassidy is still a little young for that, but thanks.”

A knock sounded before a door slicked open in another part of the house. “Hey!” Summer called. “It’s me.”

“Great!” Clarice shouted back. “We have company.”

He set his coffee aside. “You two knock before you enter the house?”

Clarice picked up the knife. “You’re damn right we do. We’re women alone in a house. Beats going around with a weapon. We also lock the doors. There are weirdos in vacation spots too, you know.”

“I’ve busted a few,” he commented, watching for Summer. “Thanks for the coffee.”

“You’re welcome.” Clarice made a show of putting the knife away. “You might start that practicing—and grunting—just in case the apology doesn’t work.”

He hadn’t allowed himself to imagine the possibility that it might not. Shit. “Point taken. But I might try flowers first. Hunching like that would give me a bad back.”

“Whatever, O’Connor,” she called, sailing out of the room.

Muffled conversation sounded from the direction she’d gone. Moments later, Summer walked into the kitchen wearing a sleeveless light green dress that stopped mid-thigh. Her long legs made his mouth water before he lifted his gaze to her face. The green of the dress punched up the green in her eyes, and she had her golden locks pulled back in a ponytail that enhanced the delicate curves of her oval face.

She was so damn beautiful she was making his heart knock against his ribs. His hands were starting to sweat, and he thought about what Clarice had said about apologizing. It was harder doing it with Summer. He realized why. Because it mattered more, and he wanted her to think well of him. Tim was right. He was fighting with himself, and he was losing.

“I was a prize jerk last night.” He met her surprised look straight on. “I came to say I’m sorry. Again. That’s not usual for me. I’d like to say it won’t happen again, but I don’t make promises I can’t keep. I’m not in the habit of being a jerk per se, but I’m frustrated and a bit restless and…hell, I’m completely out of patience. I want you. I don’t want to. That’s it. Do you want me to leave?”

Her mouth tugged toward a smile before it smoothed out. “I know you don’t want this, but I didn’t expect to be ignored. It surprised me how much that hurt. We barely know each other.”

Her honesty as much as the soft rasp of her voice grabbed him by the throat. He crossed to her, his hand lifting to caress her cheek. “I’m sorry I hurt you. God, I really am. Maybe that’s why we should just call this and go about our vacations. Separately.”

But even as he said it, his fingers slid along her jaw and neck, the softness of her skin this side of heaven. She squeezed her eyes shut, her breath shaky as she leaned closer. Into his touch. “This isn’t what I expected either, you know. Especially you having the power to hurt me. I don’t give that to anyone anymore.”

“I hate that I hurt you, Summer.” He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her, desperate to undo what he’d done. “I’m all out of making sense right now. Tell me to stop. Tell me to leave.”

Her hands gripped his sides. “I should. But I can’t. God… I just can’t.”

His mouth swooped down, meeting her raised lips. Then she was gripping the back of his head and kissing him. Their mouths clashed. Their teeth grazed sensitive, urgent flesh. When she tore her mouth away, he caught the gleam of heat in her bright green eyes. Then she rested her face against his chest, sinking into him.

Like that kiss had liquified her knees.

Yeah, that’s exactly how he felt too. Except it had melted something inside him, the fire hot enough to ravage walls he hadn’t known he’d erected. He cradled her tenderly, his mind totally blown. The smell of something floral and beach and woman reached his nose, and he felt the urge to tip her face up and take her mouth again.

Touching her had been a mistake. It had opened a whole other world of attraction, passion, and shit—tenderness—and it was a door he desperately wanted to walk through. One he needed to close just as much.

“The timing couldn’t be more wrong here,” he told her, caressing her back slowly. “My life is complicated—”

“I know,” she interrupted sharply, looking up. “I don’t care.”

The words made his balls draw up. “This can’t go anywhere,” he said gravely.

She inhaled shakily and nodded. “Yet here we are. We’re just going to have to find a way to enjoy it now. Knowing there’s nothing after we leave here. You have your life, and I have mine.”

“I’m here for the girls.” His voice held conviction, thank God. He hoped she could understand without knowing all the details. “They’re my first and last priority. They have to be.”

“That’s the way it should be,” she said, running her soft fingers over the rough stubble of his jaw, which he hadn’t bothered to shave yet. “I won’t get in the way of that. You have my promise.”

She was more understanding than most women he knew. God, he hated lying to her, but that was the way it had to be. Nothing could make him tell her the truth. There was too much at stake. And what would it matter anyway? This attraction needed to have a short shelf life.

“The girls are little, and you saw how much they miss their mother.” He ran a thumb down the middle of her nape, making her shiver, which made him want to find other places that would cause that reaction. “I need to be close to home. In case they need anything. After they go to bed, of course.”

Pulling back, she took a breath, her face suddenly tense. “That’s a little fast for me. Why don’t we have a drink tonight and a walk on the beach? I need you to understand. I don’t do one-night stands, and flings aren’t my usual.”

There was a whisper of something in her tone, something heavy with the past. He wondered what it was, but given his own dissembling, he wasn’t going to press. “All right. We go as fast as you want. Always. You have my word on that.”

“Good.” She laid her hands on his chest, and he covered them with his own, his heartbeat rising again to her touch. “You know…I had no idea what was in store for me when I came here.”

If she only knew. He let his fingers play with the ends of her hair. “Me either. I was just supposed to get out of town with two little girls and my brothers along for company.”

Her mouth tipped up to the right, sexy and adorable all in one. “Clarice might want some time with Billie as well, you know. But he should ask her if he’d like to.”

He glanced off toward the door Clarice had left through, wondering if she was somewhere in earshot. God, he hoped not. “Billie’s pretty pissed I ran you guys off. I was lucky he couldn’t give me the business in front of the girls.”

She brightened. “I have something for them.”

“You didn’t need to do that, Summer,” he said, even though something weird fluttered in his chest at her thoughtfulness.

She left the room briefly before returning, walking back in with a shopping bag from a store he and his brothers had also visited for supplies. She thrust it out and then smoothed her ponytail after he took the bag. “I didn’t wrap them, but…”

He looked inside, his Adam’s apple shifting in his throat. “You bought them wands.”

“Every princess should have one,” she told him, that sparkle back in her green eyes, he was relieved to see. “Also, there’s one in there for Tim. It was the most masculine one I could find, but in some circles, I imagine it wouldn’t pass muster.”

Digging deeper in the bag, he spotted the only non-pink one. She was right. The baby blue wasn’t exactly a guy’s color. “He’ll love it. They all will. Thank you. I don’t know what to say. Especially when you were out buying these after I was such a jerk to you last night.”

“Well, they weren’t, and I wanted to do this.”

She laid her hands over his rough ones, making him achingly aware of how different they were—she was soft and he was hard, and he wanted to explore every… “Again, it’s really nice.”

God, he sounded lame.

“I thought it might help them wish for whatever was in their hearts right now,” she continued, pressing her hand to the center of her chest, where her heart had raced for him. “It’s tough when little girls have worries. Having something to hope for, to wish for—well, that’s everything. Even if it’s make-believe.”

Again, the past seemed to cast gray shadows on her face. “It’s not one of the inspirational sayings hanging in our house next door,” he said lightly, trying to pull her out, “but I imagine there’s one about that phrase. Make. Believe. In a girly font, of course.”

“The word Receive would probably go after Believe.” She broke off a laugh. “You going to make a crack about me saying something like that?”

“Never.” He tipped her chin up, seeing the promise of something happy and hot in her eyes. “We should decide on a time tonight before I give in to the urge to kiss you again.”

She let out a shaky breath. “Clarice is probably still listening in the other room.”

“At least she’s put away her paring knife.” He cupped her shoulders when she gave him a puzzled expression. “How does nine o’clock work for tonight? For just you and me? No eavesdroppers or angry brothers—or pissed-off cats. Don’t ask.”

She caressed his chest, making him aware of the power her fingertips had to make him burn. “Okay. Were you planning on running this morning?”

“I was.” He wouldn’t tell her he’d feared he wouldn’t be able to catch her to apologize.

“Want a running partner?” she asked shyly. “Seems a waste to wait until tonight…I just need to change.”

He skewered her with a look. “You planning on running a seven-minute mile? Because while I hate admitting this out loud, lest you think I’m a wuss, that’s too fast for me.”

“I think I can handle your leisurely pace for a day.” Her mouth twitched sexily, making him want to run his finger across those amused lips. “But tomorrow all bets are off.”

Who knew what tomorrow would bring? Tonight they would have a casual drink and a romantic walk along the beach. He could already feel himself holding her slender hand as the washes crashed in the distance. His thoughts would be on her and her only. Being alone was going to change things between them. There was no getting around it. He’d have to face that. But not now.

“I’m forewarned.” He gave her soft cheek a final caress before stepping back. “I’ll just drop these wands off next door and meet you outside. Unless you want to give them—”

“No, please don’t wait! Waking up to a present is one of the best things in the world.”

He wanted to make a note of that. For her. But giving her presents would sure as hell make whatever they were doing more than just a vacation thing. “I’ll see you shortly. And thanks again. For everything.”

She gave that bright smile of hers, and he turned to leave, nearly walking into the counter. Clumsy he wasn’t. Idiot he’d just added to the list. But at least his temporary jerk badge had been removed.

When he let himself into the house, Billie was sitting having coffee with Tim. His brother immediately stood, his big jaw already out of joint. “You and me need to get something straight.”

“Clarice is waiting for you to ask her out,” he simply replied, walking over to Tim. “These are presents from Summer for you and the girls. I’m going on a run.”

He headed back to the door, relieved not to hear Billie’s heavy footsteps following him.

“Oh, and by the way, Tim,” he said, turning around to face them, “I’m going to have a drink with Summer after the girls go to sleep around nine—with a walk on the beach afterward.” He put his hand on the doorframe. “I’d appreciate it if you’d keep an ear out for the girls.”

Billie’s shock turned to a sly smile. “About damn time.”

“Of course, kind sir,” his brother replied in that irritating Shakespearean accent. “It would be my honor to serve you so humbly, especially as you are in the pursuit of love.”

Robbie narrowed his eyes. “Let’s be clear. I’m doing this against my better judgment, but I’m going to control my own stupidity. If I turn into an idiot, I want one of you to hit me. As hard as you deem necessary. Because I won’t let Tara or those girls down. I couldn’t live with myself. Got it?”

They both nodded crisply.

“Good. I’m glad that’s clear. Because dammit, Tim, this ain’t no Shakespeare romance. I won’t let it end tragically.”

He slammed the door on the way out.